Letter-box



(No Model.)

' r P. B. DOWNING.

. LETTER/BOX.

No. 462,093. Patented Oct. 27,1891.

Fig. 1.

Figi.

v/l-rN E55 E5- Ah/ENTER- 4 dew/9 4? W, mm

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ATFNT Orricn.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,093, dated October 27, 1891.

Application filed April 2, 1891.

To (0% wiwm it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP B. DOWNING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in letter-boxes, particularly letter-boxes for the collection of mail-matter; and its object isto improve the construction of the lid or that portion through which mail-matter is introduced into the box.

It will be understood that my improvement is applicable to letterboxes generally, so far as the construction of the lower portion is concern ed and the devices by which the boxes are opened for the collection of mail-matter.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my improvement as applied in the form now best known to me to the upper part of a street letter-box.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an end View; Figs. 2 and 3, transverse sections showingthe lid in its closed and open.positious, and Figs. at and 5 front views of a portion of the lid when open and closed.

In the drawings, which show so much of the upper part of a mail-box as is necessary to illustrate my improvement and its application thereto, A- represents the cover or lid, which normally covers and closes the mailing-slot 13. This cover is hinged to the upper part of the box, and preferably to two short ears a, (see Fig. 3,) projecting slightly from the face of the box proper. In connection with this hinged cover and operated thereby I provide a safety-plate O, which when the cover is closed will hang vertically in the box, the plate being pivoted,as shown at (Z, to arms D, extending from the cover A. These arms are preferably arc-shaped plates, as shown, and located so as to slide in and out through the slot B and at its ends, (see Fig. 4,) so as to take off as little as possible from the area of the slot-openin g. It will be understood that this plate 0 corresponds in width to the width of the slot 13 and in depth to the depth of the top of the box where it is located.

In connection with the safety-plate and to Serial No. 387,382- (No model.)

cause the same to pass automatically when the cover A is raised from its vertical position, as shown at Fig. 2, to its approximately horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 3, to close the entrance into the box proper, I provide an abutment or fulcrum E, which may side of the box. In this way, as will be seen, when the cover A is raised the pivoted guardplate is drawn over the abutment, which, acting as a fulcrum, causes the plate to assume an approximately horizontal position and at the same time to cutoff communication with the body of the box through the mailing-slot.

To close the aperture which would otherwise exist. between the extensions D and the lower edge of the mailing-slot when the cover is partly open, I provide a transverse plate F, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) extending laterally between the arms D at their lower part and of a width sufficient to reach from the edge of the guard-plate O to the lower edge of the mailing-slot. This transverse plate, as will be seen, forms a sort of rigid flooringbetween the arms, and in connection with the movable flooring formed by the guard-plate furnishes a table or shelf upon which mai.l-matter will be received when placed in the box. As soon as the cover is dropped the guardplate, being no longer held upward by its abutment or fulcrum, drops and delivers the mail into the box proper.

A rib Il may be located within and across the box immediately under the lower edge of the mailing-slot of a width suiiicient to prevent theinsertion of a wire or other hook between the edge of the slot and the plate F when the cover is partially opened.

There remains to be described a supplementary device intended to prevent the entrance of rain or snow into the box through the hinge-j oint between thebox and its cover. This, as is shown in the drawings, consists of a transverse strip G, itself hinged to the cover, as shown. This strip, which I call a weather-strip, is in length little greater than the length of the hinge-opening between the box and cover and of a width such that its front edge will rest upon the cover well out beyond the hinge-opening, and its rear edge will extend sufficiently back of the conveniently be a rod extending from side to same to itself cover a storm-rib g, formed upon the top of the box and extending transversely across the same in the rear of and substantially parallel to the hinge-opening. The Weather-strip G may be recessed, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, 011 its under face, so as to receive into it the storm-rib 9 when the box-cover is closed. Then the cover is opened, the weatherstrip, being pivoted thereto, will be moved slightly, as is shown in the drawings, but will at all times cover and prevent rain or snow from reaching the hinge-joint, while its rear edge, in connection with the rib g, will prevent the beating in of rain or snow from the rear.

I claim 1. In combination with a letter-box top provided with a mailing-slot, a hinged cover for the said slot, having arms, as described, a guard-plate pivoted to said arms, an abutment or fulcrum to operate the said guardplate, as set forth, and a supplemental plate extending transversely between the said arms and of a width sufficient to cover the distance between the pivoted guard-plate and the lower edge of the slot when the cover is opened, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination, a letter-box top provided with a mailing-slot, a hinged cover for the slot, a supplemental covering-strip hinged to the said cover and extending rearwardly over its hingeopening, and a transverse storm-rib in the rear of the said hinge-opening and covered by the said strip, all substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 28th day of March, A. D. 1891.

PHILIP B. DOYVNING.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. TAYLOR, WILLIAM B. Ron. 

